BCHS steroid use under investigation

[Guest Bridge City Card]

Leader exclusive: BCHS steroid use under investigation

By Debby Schamber and Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

The Bridge City Police Department officials confirmed Thursday they are investigating a steroid ring at Bridge City High School.

BCPD Major Joey Hargraves said his department believe the ring began activity in April. The department is now awaiting drug analysis from the Texas Department of Public Safety to verify exactly what substances are being dealt with.

“We have collected evidence and submitted it to the DPS crime lab for analysis,†said Major Joey Hargraves of BCPD.

Officials are awaiting the results of the tests to determine on how to proceed with the case.

“We will move forward when the results have been received,†Hargraves said. “What happens next will depend on the results.â€

Sources close to Bridge City High School reported a former football and track star is being investigated for possession and distribution of steroids.

New Bridge City Athletic Director Cris Stump, who was not on the job when the alleged steroid situation took place, said steps have already been taken to make sure both students and parents within the district are aware of the dangers of the drug.

“We talked to all the kids, both girls and boys from seventh grade up,†Stump said. “There are two points I tried to get across and the No. 1 point you try to get across is steroids can kill you. I try to get that across over and over again. I try to use personal experiences, not that I used them, but players I have known and stories of guys like Lyle Alzado (an NFL player who died from steroid abuse).

“Another point I hit on is that this (steroids) is a controlled substance. It is like having cocaine and you will go to jail,†Stump said.

Texas state law mandates that delivery of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, carries a penalty of 2 to 10 years in jail; possessing the drugs, a Class A misdemeanor, has a penalty of a fine not to exceed $4,000, jail time not to exceed a year or both.

“Our stance on this is we have zero tolerance when it comes to all controlled substances,†Stump said. “The state has now gone along with us here recently. It is a serious issue, especially now since people can order them online and have them shipped to their house.

“It is not going to be tolerated. We do have an extracurricular code of conduct,†Stump said.

Stump said he has plans in place to speak with the student body once the school year starts and also will ask each sport’s head coach to speak with his or her players.

“I plan on having parent-athlete meetings before each sport,†Stump said. “We have to teach parents what to look for. It is not just a Bridge City problem; unfortunately it is a high school athletic problem.â€

[KFDM COOP]

Ok folks listen up!!!! This thread will be zero Tolerence!!! First time a member mentions a name or names they will be banned immediately and thread will come down!!!

[wos08]

Yikes..

This wont look too good

[jmspears3]

I think this is a nation wide problem not just a local problem.

[Guest kosmo]

I agree.  BC's just went into the public eye. 

[Bucster]

I think this is a nation wide problem not just a local problem.

It is a nation wide problem that used to be confined to the NCAA & Pro levels. Sad to see that it has finally filtered down to the HS ranks.

Despite the dangers of using roids, it's pretty easy to understand how a HS athlete could be tempted to use steroids to get that extra edge.

[jmspears3]

It is a nation wide problem that used to be confined to the NCAA & Pro levels. Sad to see that it has finally filtered down to the HS ranks.

Despite the dangers of using roids, it's pretty easy to understand how a HS athlete could be tempted to use steroids to get that extra edge.

It is a problem that needs to be addressed. I was watching a television interview with a ex wrestler named Superstar Billy Graham He said steroids have left him with massive bone disease, 6 hip replacements and he has lost 4 inches in height along with being impodent. Sounds to me kids do not know the after effects of steroids.

[Bucster]

I know coaches try to educate the players about the dangerous side affects but I think it goes in one ear & out the other.

I can remember being 17 and thinking I was indestructible.

[cardinal81o7]

i think kids/ athletes look at the present too much and dont really evaluate the future when making decisions about what goes into their bodies...when a kid is pretty good but wants that extra edge...maybe to gain a college SCHOLARSHIP then they are twice as tempted i think to do something that later on in life can do some serious damage.  i never did it...i know my close friends never did it, but its ashame that someone from another school will see people get hurt and get in serious trouble and still decide to do it, and they will never get caught.

[AggiesAreWe]

Ok folks listen up!!!! This thread will be zero Tolerence!!! First time a member mentions a name or names they will be banned immediately and thread will come down!!!

I 've got patience enough to wait it out. A name or some names will eventually surface be it on tv or print. Very sad.

[gringo]

Maybe this will be a wake up call and show how dangerous this really is.

[Guest Bulldog]

BC has all the luck......bad luck....

[jmspears3]

BC has all the luck......bad luck....

This is not about luck.

[Bucster]

This is not about luck.

It's about kids making bad decisions .... a problem not unique to BC.

[Guest 3AFan]

Sounds to me like BC actually caught the kids doing it, and the kids have been punished, which is much more than you can say about other schools. If people dog the schools actually doing something about the problems, then other schools will not follow. They will hide their problems to avoid public scrutiny. Congrats to Coach Stump, and BC for stepping up and doing something about this problem.

“Our stance on this is we have zero tolerance when it comes to all controlled substances,†Stump said.

How many other schools can say that????

[HJ-Hawks25]

I'm not 'happy' that BC got caught, cause that isn't the word i want to use. I don't know how to put this. I'm happy they got caught their hopefully showing the kids around SETX to not use steriods, showing that they will get caught. Once again though, I'm not happy that BC was punished for this.

But, I do think there is other kids around each school district doing some steriods or any illegal substance use.

It's just impossble to hunt down those kids from each school.

Therefore I think this incident is a good one, hopefully preventing other kids to do these kinds of things.

Goodluck to bridge city though and sorry for the incidents that occured.

[Guest Jags]

HOPE THEY GET THINGS WORKED OUT

[stang4life]

How many other schools can say that????

More than just BC...I am sure. 

Here's a question...how long does drug tests take to confirm?  And, when were these test samples gathered?  I just find it odd that this was sat on until now...4 months later.

I think that everyone realizes that this is a "national" problem...but, I don't think many are willing to accept that IS a "local" problem too.  I don't think anyone denies that there is some abuse of illegal substances in high school sports.  That being said, I would only hope that most coaches "aware" of the problem, would have a ZERO TOLERANCE attitude because it is a serious issue.

I am also of the opinion that as much pressure is put on some young athletes by their family members as by anyone.  If as much emphasis would be placed on these young kids' academics...at least they would have something to fall back on.

[Guest Sports Cards]

More than just BC...I am sure. 

Here's a question...how long does drug tests take to confirm?  And, when were these test samples gathered?  I just find it odd that this was sat on until now...4 months later.

I think that everyone realizes that this is a "national" problem...but, I don't think many are willing to accept that IS a "local" problem too.  I don't think anyone denies that there is some abuse of illegal substances in high school sports.  That being said, I would only hope that most coaches "aware" of the problem, would have a ZERO TOLERANCE attitude because it is a serious issue.

I am also of the opinion that as much pressure is put on some young athletes by their family members as by anyone.  If as much emphasis would be placed on these young kids' academics...at least they would have something to fall back on.

The only thing that is 4 months later, and odd, is the timing of this article coming out. Everything about this case has already been done. It takes a long time for the sample's to come back, but Coach Stump has shown his zero tolerance, and BC has done everything right in this case. I hope other schools follow suit.

[stang4life]

I couldn't agree with you more because it was a tad bit delayed.???

Kudos to Stump if he does stand firm on the zero tolerance stance.

[tvc184]

You can tell very little by reading the article. It does not even mention the school being involved in any part of investigation.

The only reason that we may know that any athlete/former athlete in BC may be involved at all is a tip from "an anonymous BCHS source".  Is the "former" star still a current student or did he graduate? Did the BCPD make the case independently with no knowledge by the district? Was the BCPD tipped off by a school official or anyone in the district? Did the school even know about it until now? You could go on and on but nothing is answered in the article except that the Bridge City PD is doing a drug investigation, the DPS Crime Lab is doing the testing and that Cris Stump will not put up with anything in the future.

Anything else is pure speculation. One posting in this thread said "Sounds to me like BC actually caught the kids doing it, and the kids have been punished". There is no indication that BC(ISD?) has caught anyone doing anything. There is no indication that there has been any punishment. How about this from a post, "I'm not 'happy' that BC got caught" . Caught? The article mentions nothing about anyone being caught. It mentions nothing about any arrest(s). So now we have posts of kids being caught, kids being punished, etc. Where did that information come from? The article? If so, I sure didn't see it.

I think that is why we should tread lightly in this thread even beyond not mentioning names as Coop has stated. Major Hargrave with BCPD said that there is an investigation ongoing and Cris Stump said that abuse of drugs would not be tolerated. Good for them. Other than that, we know nothing and the posts should reflect that.

[venom33]

I heard about this 2 months ago and I actually came to this site to see if anyone else had any news about it but there was nothing.

So if these kids are found to have used roids will they have to forfeit any games they participated in???

[tvc184]

I heard about this 2 months ago and I actually came to this site to see if anyone else had any news about it but there was nothing.

So if these kids are found to have used roids will they have to forfeit any games they participated in???

I don't see how. Can anyone prove if they used them before the game from last year?

I have seen high school athletes over the years being caught with illegal substances. I have never heard of any team forfeiting a game because of it.

[venom33]

I was just curious if that would be the punishment, although whether you believe it or not this story has been around for a few months.

As for proving they were using it during the football season..you cant prove it NOR can you dis-prove....

I don't see how. Can anyone prove if they used them before the game from last year?

I have seen high school athletes over the years being caught with illegal substances. I have never heard of any team forfeiting a game because of it.

[cardinal81o7]

this happened a while back during the school year and it just came out...and there werent any tests it was kinda a scandle thing that blew up on those involved.  there were no test results that had to be confirmed or that just came back